Innovative Techniques for Analysis, Monitoring and Priorities Infrastructure Interventions Through the Application of GIS Systems

In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the vast architectural and infrastructure heritage, it is essential to introduce innovative monitoring approaches, considering the inherent susceptibility of reinforced concrete constructions to mechanical and environmental deterioration over time. This requires a more comprehensive and precise review and monitoring approach. In order to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the vast architectural and infrastructure heritage, it is necessary to carry out preventive maintenance activities following periodic inspections that assess the state of conservation of the structures and detect any anomalies or damage. Current monitoring activities and scheduled inspections may not be sufficient, considering the limited funds available. To overcome these limitations, we propose the adoption of a decision support and continuous GIS-based monitoring systems of structures, which allow the collection of real-time data on their condition and predict their future behaviour and prioritising intervention. This approach makes it possible to switch from programmatic maintenance to predictive, no more based deadlines but on acquired data, thus increasing the safety of facilities, optimising resources, and reducing operating costs. The study conducted by the authors shows the application of the proposed methodology to the road infrastructure of southern Italy, characterized by a morphology of the land that includes many viaducts and bridges, some of which are subject to serious stability and security concerns. The aim of the study is therefore to create a decision-support system for the authorities in charge to distribute economic resources according to the identified risk index. Moreover, the data acquisition and processing methods used to populate the database will be described.